The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-12-16

advocacy to call our manufacturers infant |
Industries, still needing the highest and |
greatest degree of favor and fostering care |
that can be wruDg from Federal legislation. |
1t also said that the Increase in the price |
of domestic manufactures resulting from the |
present tariff is necessary in order that |
higher wages may be paid to our working |
men employed In manufactures, than are |
paid for what is called the pauper Iapor of
Europe. All viii acknowledge the force of
an argument which involves the welfare |
and liberal compensation of our laborlng
people. Our labor is honorable in the eyes
of every American citizen and as 1t lies at
the foundation of aur development and pro-
eress. 1t is entitled, without affection or hy-
poc-isy. to the utmost regard. The stand
ard of our laborers' life should not be meas
ured by that of any other country less fav-
ored, and they are entitled 10 their full share
of all our advantages.
By the last census il Is made to appear
that of the IL, ,392, O9e OF our population en-
gagged in all kinds Of industries 1910, 49S are
employed in agriculture, 4. 074 23s in profess
siopal and personal service, q, 934. $40 of
whom are domestic servants and laborers,)
while 1.sl0. .256 are employed in trade and
transportation. ana 3, ,S37, l12 are elassed as
employed in manufacturing and mining.
For present purposes. however. the last
number given should be considerably re-
duced without attempting to enumerate
all. it will be conceded that there should be
deducted from those which it includes 375,-
l43 carpenters and joiners, 2S5. .40I miliiners,
dressmakers, and seamtresseS. 172.726
blacksmiths, 134. .756 tsilors and tailoresses,
1O2, 573 masous, &c, ,241 butchers Il 800 bak-
ers. % 0S3 plssterers, and 4. .991 engaged In
manufacturing agricultural Implements,
amounting in the aggregate to 1,214 O23.
leaying .. .623. .Os9 persons employed in such
manufacturing Industries as are claimed to
be benefited by high tariff.
To these the appeal is made to save their
employment and maintain their wages by
resisting change. There should be no dis
position TO answer such suggestions by the
allegation that they are IN a minority among
those who labor, and therefore should forego
an advantage, IN the interest of low prices
for the ma jority their compensation, as it
may be affected by the operation of tariff
laws, should at all times be scrupulously
kept in view; and yet with slight reflection
they will not overlook the fact thai they are
consumers with the rest that they. too,
have their own wants and those of their
families to supply from their earnings, and
that tia price OF the necessaries of life, as
well as the amount of their wages. will reg
ulate the measure OF theiI welfare and com.
fort.
woRKIN GMES TO BE PROTECTED.
But the reduction OF taxation demanded
should be so measured as not to necessitate
or justify either the loss OF employment by
the wOrkingman nor the !essening OF lis
wages and the profits stil! remaining 20
tie manufacturer. after a necessary read
justment, should furnish ne excuse for the
sacrifice of the interests of his employees
either in their opportunity to work or in the
diminutiOn OF their compensation. Nor can
the worker in manufacturers fail TO under
stand that while high tariff is claimed to
be necessary to allow the pay ueut of rem
lucrative wages, 1t certainly results in q
very large Increase in the price OF Deariy all
sorts Of manufactures. which, in almost
countless forms, he needs for the use of
himself and his family. He receives at the
desk of his employer his wages and perhaps
before he reaches his home is obIighed, in
purchase for family use OF an article which
embraces mis- own labor, to return in the
payment of the increase in price which the
tariff permits, the hard-earned cOmpensa-
tion OF many days OF toll.
The farmer and the agriculturist who
manufacture nothing, but vi no pay the in
creased price which the tariff imposes, upon
every agricultural Implement upon ALI he
wears and upon ALI he uses aud owns, ex-
cent the increaSa Of his focky- and kards and
such things as his husbandry produces from
the soil, Is Invited to AID In maintaining the
present situation; and he is told that
high duty on imported wool is necessary for
the benefit OF those who have sheep to shear.
In order that the price OF their wool may be
increased They of course are not reminded
that the farmer who has no sheep is by this
scheme obliged, In his purchases of clothing
and woolen goods, to pay tIibute TO his
fellow-farmer as we'll as to the manufartur-
er and merchant; nor is any mention made
of the fact that the sheep-owDers themselves
and their households. must wear clothing
and use other articles manufactured from
the wool they sell al tariff prices, and thus
as consumers must return their share OF
this increased price to the tIadesman.
/ think It may be fairly assumed that
large proportion of the sheep owned by the
farmers throughout the country are found
in small fiocks. numering rom twenty-five
to fifty. The duty On the grade Of imported
wool VIII ich these sheep yield Is ten cents
each pound il Of the value OF thirty csnts OF
less, and twelve cents il OF the vaiue of
more than thirty cents. If the libe raj esti-
mate of six pounds be allowed for each
fleece, the duty thereon would be sixty or
seventy-two cents, and this may be taken
as the utmost enhancement of its price to
the farmer by reason OF this duty Eighteen
dollars would thus represent thu Increased
price OF the wool from twenty five sheep
and thirty-six dollars that from the wool OF
fifty sheep; and at present values this ad-
diton would amount TO about one-third of
its price If upon its sale the farmer re-
ceiyes this or less tariff profit. the wool
leaves his hands charged with precisely that
sun, which in all its changes will adhere to
il, until il reaches the consumer. When
manufactured into cloth and other goods
and material for use, its cost Il not only In
creased to the extent of The farmers tariff
profit, but further sum has been added for
the benefit of the manufacturer under the
operation OF other tariff laws. In the mean
time the day arrives when the farmer finds
it necessary to purchase wooden goods aud
material to clothe himself and family for
the winter. When he faces the tradesman
for that purpose he discovers that he is
obliged not only to return IN the way OF in
creased prices his tariff prOfit on the wool